


Nightcap

by ObviousLoz



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 11:52:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6050626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObviousLoz/pseuds/ObviousLoz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>First thing I've written. Just a short silly one, thinking about how they got together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightcap

“Goodness, what’s that?”

Trixie was open-mouthed, stubbing out a cigarette and putting her copy of Vogue down as she swung her legs off the bed and made for the door. An unexpectedly soulful voice was echoing from the far end of the corridor, beyond the staircase.

“…That…that’s Delia!” Patsy laughed as she got up to join Trixie to listen around the door. “Gosh, she made it home quickly. She was covering on the ward today.”

She hadn’t heard Delia do this since the nurse’s home. This was how Delia had…woo’ed her…in the first place, she supposed. Patsy had been blissfully unaware at first, of course. They’d been next-door neighbours on the second floor. Whenever a few of the nurses had got together for an evening out at the live music café or the cinema, Delia would choose one of the songs they’d heard that night, and belt it out as they climbed the stairs, leaving Patsy at her bedroom door with a theatrical bow and a wink before singing her way into her own room. Patsy had adored those evenings. She adored spending time with Delia, really. No one had ever made her laugh like her. She’d had no idea that the songs were meant for her.

“Gosh, Patsy, you’d better keep her away from Mrs Turner or she’ll be recruited into the choir before she knows what’s happening!”

“This is just a warm up, you wait. And her aunt’s bringing the rest of her records down from Wales for her to fetch next time she visits. We’ll never have peace again…!”

Patsy was joking, but her heart was bursting with memories. She thought about that night, not long before she'd left to become a midwife, when they both happened to be off duty. They’d ended up going to see Pillow Talk, just the two of them, at the Troxy down the road.

Afterwards they’d popped into the Silver Buckle for a coffee before sauntering back home. “Do you know, Pats, I think I even preferred Attack of the 50 Foot Woman to that. Do you remember that, last year, when Marjorie Stuart got such a fright she flung chocolate brazils all over the row in front?!”

“Oh yes! And that was the best bit of the evening. But yes, lets make a pact - no more ridiculous Doris Day films!”

“Patsy!” Delia feigned outrage, her eyes creasing as she held in a smile. “How can you say that about the woman who gave us Calamity Jane?”

Patsy rolled her eyes and laughed as she ran up the steps to the nurses’ home after Delia, but before she even made it through the second set of doors Delia had launched into an exaggeratedly saccharine rendition of “Secret Love” as she climbed moonily up the stairs, trailing a theatrical hand up the wooden bannister. All too late, Patsy heard the door from the warden’s station clunk shut, and winced…

“NURSE BUSBY! It’s 11 o’clock at night!” They scuttled up the rest of the stairs with a giggled apology.

“Ah well. Some Like It Hot is here soon, Pats. Do you fancy it?”

“I do!”

“…Coming in for a nightcap?”

Patsy followed Delia in and sat on the little bed, watching as Delia took a bottle of Johnnie Walker and a Duralex tumbler from a drawer.

“You’ll have to forgive the glasswear I’m afraid. And it seems someone has wandered off with the other one. Sandra must have been entertaining again. Do you mind sharing?”

“Of course not.”

Delia poured a generous measure of whisky, walked over to the bed and handed the glass to Patsy. She propped the pillow up against the headboard, shuffled over and leaned back with a sigh, tapping the eiderdown next to her for Patsy to join her.

“I’m still not sure what all the fuss is about with Rock Hudson. Do you see it?”

Patsy laughed. “No, not really!”

There was a pause as Delia took the glass from Patsy and sipped, thoughtfully.

“It’s a shame the warden cut you off mid-number tonight. I was enjoying it!” 

“Ah well, you know what she's like! I’ll work on something else for next time. Mario Lanza or something awful like that. That’ll keep her sweet. Actually she’s probably a Cliff Richard sort of a girl. You know, Brylcreem and boredom.” Delia made a face. “Let’s go to that new place up Oxford Street next time? James, the junior doctor from Swansea? He says it’s great up there. He’s lending me some records next week. He’s got my new Clovers, and he’s dropping off his new Etta James when he brings it back, “Baby, baby every night,” you know that one? You’ll have to pop by for a listen, I'll drop you a note.”

Patsy listened as they shared the drink. She loved listening to Delia. There had been all kinds of people back in Singapore, from all over the world, but she’d never actually heard a Welsh accent before Delia. It was a round, happy sort of an accent. All up at the edges and down in the middle. Quite the opposite of Patsy’s. She passed the glass back to Delia and rested her head gently against her shoulder.

“…You always smell so lovely, Pats.”

Patsy felt her chest lurch. “…All bleach and Milton’s fluid?”

Delia chuckled. “Yes, actually. And a touch of Rive Gauche, if I’m not mistaken!”

“You aren’t.” 

“Anyway Milton’s fluid suits you. Don’t give me that look! It does! Very prim, very proper. It’s nice.”

Patsy felt her cheeks flush. Luckily it was dark enough for her discomposure to go unnoticed. “Yes, terribly alluring! You do tease, Delia.” She took the empty glass from Delia’s hand and put it on the nightstand.

“I don’t tease. I mean it.”

Delia spoke softly as she took Patsy’s fingertips in her hand and ran her thumb over Patsy’s knuckles. “Your hands are cold.”

Patsy tensed at the unfamiliar intimacy, lifting her gaze to see a pair of apprehensive blue eyes looking at her intently. 

She looked back at Delia, and before she knew what to say, Delia pressed her lips gently to her fingers. Patsy drew a shaky breath.

 

“Gosh…is that Delia?!” Barbara put her medical bag down at the top of the stairs, looking between the two peeping nurses and Delia’s room.  
“Yes, isn’t she good?! Trixie walked to meet Barbara.

They gathered on the landing, listening as Delia sang along with Sam Cooke to the final verse of You Send Me, jumping as the door swung open to reveal a shocked Delia holding a dressing gown and wash bag.

“Oh…!” She looked, slightly bashfully, between the three nurses before composing herself. She took an elaborate bow and threw Patsy a wink, turning towards the bathroom. Patsy saw the beginnings of a blush rising on Delia’s neck.

“Aren’t you all meant to be hula-hooping in the community centre?!”

“It’s Thursday, Delia!”


End file.
